Beach Resort Guide
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara Beach Resort Guide
Introduction
Santa Barbara may lack the celebrity glitz of Los Angeles, but it has much in common with Tinseltown. For instance, it not only had California's first movie studio, in 1910, but scenes from about 1,000 movies - and more recently, TV shows including Psych, Monk and Curb Your Enthusiasm - have been shot here. That's because Santa Barbara is beautifully situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez (ee-NEZ) Mountains, near a vast national forest. The city calls itself the American Riviera and is a cityscape of whitewashed stucco topped by red-tile roofs and palm trees on the roadways. The architecture reflects Spanish, Moorish and American Indian themes, with cobbled shopping arcades and fountains. In 2009, Santa Barbara was anointed one of America's top 12 places because of its preservation of historical structures and way of life.
Who goes there?
From the 1920-60s, Santa Barbara was a weekend retreat favored by Hollywood stars such as Charlie Chaplin and Clarke Gable. Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier were wed at one of Santa Barbara's resorts, and John and Jackie Kennedy honeymooned here. Now, TV megaforce Oprah Winfrey has a vacation villa on 16 hectares (40 acres) nearby - though plenty of average folk of all ages drop in for the beaches, restaurants and art scene.
Where in the world?
The Spanish missionaries and soldiers that first populated the area could not have realised that this settlement would become such a choice location. Far enough from Los Angeles, to the south, that it is not burdened by smog or traffic jams, the city of nearly 93,000 has ocean beaches, a low mountain range and an enviable year-round climate. About 10m (32 ft) above sea level, the city sits where California's 1,351km (840-mile) coastline juts into the Pacific, less than a third of the way north from Mexico to Oregon.
When to go?
The wettest and coolest months are October to March, with overnight lows approaching 4°C (40°F), yet the afternoon highs are typically around 18°C (65°F). The hottest months are from April to September, but ocean breezes keep the weather pleasant with the temperature seldom going above 26°C (80°F). Weekends are the busiest times on the several beaches in the county.
Beach
The city's most popular beaches, East and Leadbetter, are south of the commercial area. The sandy beaches flank Stearns Wharf, a wooden structure dating to 1873 that has shops and a small museum. Some beaches have lockers, showers, restrooms and food concessions. For rent along the sands are bicycles (seating from one to nine), surfboards and personal watercraft. Paved paths invite biking, rollerblading and skateboarding. Scuba-diving is excellent, though it requires hiring a boat or booking aboard a concessionaire travelling to the Channel Islands National Park, about 45km (28 miles) offshore.
Beyond the beach
Boutique- and cafe-lined State Street is unusual for car-crazed California: it's pedestrian friendly. Built in 1929, the County Courthouse (1100 Anacapa Street) features a Roman triumphal arch, turret and sunken gardens. Nearby is the last military outpost the Spaniards built in California, El Presidio de Santa Barbara, now a historic park. And Mission Santa Barbara is one of the grandest of the 21 Spanish missions in the state. Use a map available from the visitors centers (County Courthouse and the Stearns Wharf, in the harbor) for the 12-block 'Red Tile Walking Tour'.
Family fun
Even the lions have a view of the ocean at the Santa Barbara Zoo. There are about 400 animals kept in lush landscaping here. Narrated whale-watching cruises take advantage of the migration patterns of blue, humpback and gray whales. Youngsters can crawl through a 1,500-gallon tidepool tank to learn about marine life. Horse-drawn wagons and carriages in the Carriage and Western Art Museum reflect pioneer days.
Retail therapy
The high street is 3km (2-mile) -long State Street, which begins at the waterfront and runs inland. On State is the prime shopping center, Paseo Nuevo. The upscale leaders among its more than 80 shops and restaurants are Nordstrom's, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Ann Taylor Loft. A Saks Fifth Avenue store is just one block farther along State. There are more than 20 art galleries downtown, and there is an arts-and-crafts festival most Sundays, in a waterfront park.
A night on the town
Although the city is populated by the upper middle class, it maintains a youthful feel. Students from University of California Santa Barbara influence the nightlife selections, though events range from bluegrass to ballet. Most of the clubs are, again, on State. Drink specials are the standard at Sharkeez (416 State Street). If you'd rather have a meal with your beer, choose from a full menu and about a half-dozen fresh brews at the S.B. Brewing Co (501 State Street).
Eating out
Common to restaurant menus are the words 'fresh' and 'California'. This can mean avocadoes in the salads and sandwiches, or chipotle dressing and raw honey drizzled around. But with so many vineyards nearby, the wine list can be dominant. At Bouchon (9 West Victoria Street), the staff help you match each of its American cuisine items to one of about 50 local wines. Want more options? The Wine Cask (813 Anacapa Street) claims having more than 1,000 wines to go with its Italian cuisine.
Getting around
To battle auto-emissions, Santa Barbara has an electric shuttle serving the downtown and waterfront; the ride is very cheap and free for children shorter than 115cm (45 inches). Free, too, are transfers between the two routes. The city web page (www.santabarbaracarfree.org), explains how to reach top attractions in and nearby the city without a car and lists discounts for those visitors without wheels. Public buses link the city to nearby towns and the university, and there is train service to Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Exploring further afield
For the first half of the 20th century, this was cattle and horse country. A few ranches still exist, though they cater more to cityslickers, offering trail rides, bike riding and even croquet. In the later part of the previous century, grape-growers began cultivating what is now an estimated 8,500 hectares (21,000 acres). There are more than 30 vineyards and 100+ wineries in the county - five wineries are within city limits. This is where Oscar-winner Sideways was filmed. Nearly 20 companies offer vineyard tours on everything from bikes to limos.
Splashing out
Built as a mining executive's mansion in the 1920s, the Four Seasons Biltmore is one of California's prime destinations. Celebrity guests include Bing Crosby, Lana Turner, Oleg Cassini and Natalie Wood. The driveway is still filled with Bentleys and Rollses. Lush landscaping frames Spanish-Moorish walkways, accented by Mexican tiles. The bar seems to have been lifted from an elegant Astaire and Rogers film. The resort has tennis courts, putting green, spa and an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
Flying in
Santa Barbara Airport (SBA)
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